In this week's Whole School Assembly, on Monday 5 February, the College heard from two pupils – Sam Swannell and Benjamin Watkins – on what are extremely important topics.
In the first speech, Year 13 pupil Ben delivered a powerful message on racism and equality. Reflecting on his own personal experiences, Ben’s message challenges us to be anti-racist and to not allow racism to perpetuate in College life.
He said:
‘First, I want to ask a question. I want to ask if you can recall when race first became a reality to you? Was race brought to you alone? Through the celebrations of diverse cultures and qualities. Embracing everything special about what different races bring to society. Or was race first brought to you through racism? Exactly like we just saw - through the hurtful actions of someone else taking race, weaponizing it, and using it to inflict pain and suffering through cruel comments or actions. Whether receiving or simply viewing – for many of us – we first encounter our own race – or race as a whole – through racism.
This is a sad reality for many individuals. It was for me, and it will be for many of us here. Within so many aspects of society, our race is shrouded by racism. This cannot carry over to school life.
Now when I wrote that line in preparation for this talk, I couldn't get the word ‘anymore’ out my head. So, I re-phrased it.
This cannot carry over to school life anymore.
Because to be frank with you Shiplake, racism exists within our community and I can tell you that if it does not to you, it will to someone else. I’m sure we can all remember our first day at Shiplake. I too remember my first day – Year 9 Everett day room specifically – where I had one of those awkward first-meet conversations that we’ve all had. I got that question we all get - where are you from – to which I replied with ‘England’.
But they didn't seem satisfied. ‘No, where are you really from?’
To this person, I must really be from Iran, as I am half Persian.
So, with pride I say, ‘my family is from Iran.’
‘So, you're a terrorist.’
‘No? No, I’m not.’ But for however long since then, and for a time before then, that's all I've been to some people. All they've made me feel – all they let me be. And to be honest, at times it destroyed me.
This cannot carry over into school life anymore.
Shiplake, with this topic, I couldn't be happier to stand here and say that we are an expanding and diversifying community. But in that, I'd like to offer a different stance and you can consider it a word of advice or a word of warning.
I'll be leaving in the coming terms, and I wish one thing from those staying. I don't want this school to be ‘not racist’ because to simply be ‘not racist’ is to simply be ‘not enough’. I want this to be a school of ‘anti racists’ in the way that if you see anything, you stop it – advisably through the amazing teachers we have on offer. To say ‘but I'm not racist’ is not being anti-racist. It's not solving the horrors of racism.
It's our job as a community to ensure that this not acceptable anymore.’
Inclusive is one of the College’s core values, in which we strive to be a school where everyone is valued regardless of academic prowess, artistic flair, sporting ability, or regardless of their race and background.
Following Ben’s speech, the Headmaster, Mr Howe, adds:
'There is no perfect school and Shiplake is no different. But we do aspire to set high standards and expectations of our pupils, and we also listen to them and seek out their opinion, because they live the experience. Ben delivered a hard-hitting, relevant, highly personal address to the whole school about his experiences of racist comments when he arrived at the school almost five years ago, and the negative impact these had on him... you could hear a pin drop.
Whether deliberate or not, these comments were not acceptable then and are not acceptable now. We want and need to have these discussions, no matter how uncomfortable they may make us feel. Inclusive is one of our core values and, for me, represents the cornerstone of the school. Within our community, everyone is welcome, and all pupils and staff are expected to live that value. I wholeheartedly support Ben's message of being actively anti-racist.'
In the second speech, Year 9 pupil Sam delivered a poignant and reflective speech on The Holocaust, following Holocaust Memorial Day on Saturday 27 January.
He said:
'Holocaust Memorial Day is the day each year when we remember the six million Jewish people who were persecuted and murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators during the Holocaust in the second world war.
On Holocaust Memorial Day, we also remember other groups of people who were persecuted and murdered by the Nazis. These include Roma and Sinti people (sometimes referred to as ‘gypsies’), disabled people, gay people, Jehovah Witnesses, political opponents, and many others
After the Holocaust, the world said, ‘Never Again’. But humanity has failed to learn lessons from the Holocaust, and genocides continue to happen around the world to this day. On Holocaust Memorial Day, we remember the millions of men, women and children, who have been murdered in the genocides which followed – in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
Genocide does not happen out of the blue. It is the result of prejudice and persecution which sees a group treated differently from the rest of society.
On Holocaust Memorial Day, we are reminded of what can happen when prejudice and persecution are left unchallenged, and of our responsibilities to stand against these processes when we see them in our own communities.
My immediate Jewish relatives managed to escape the holocaust having emigrated to the UK in the early 1900s from eastern Europe. However, distant cousins tell of jumping the trains enroute to Auschwitz in order to escape, whilst their entire families perished in the camps. I have had the honour though of meeting two holocaust survivors and they are truly inspiring people – there are very few left and it is through their stories that we must remember and continue to recognise Holocaust Memorial Day each year.'
